Week 4 Waiver Picking

QUARTERBACKS

Eli Manning (vs. Atlanta)

Looks like the Manning parents can go ahead and stop telling friends that Eli is the adopted child. He’s getting more comfortable in this offense (it only took 5 preseason matches and a pair of regular-season games to figure it out). For all you Brady owners… time to make the switch. The Atlanta Falcons matchup at home is not super, but it’s not bad either.

Blake Bortles (vs. Pittsburgh)

This is less about Bortles’ successes as a rookie QB, and more about the fact that Pittsburgh made Mike Glennon look pretty good this past week. Bortles is not stellar yet, (although for you Jacksonville fans – there’s a glimmer of hope here) but I see him showing up here and finding the endzone a few times.

Desperation Pick-Up: Ryan Fitzpatrick (vs. Dallas)

Against Dallas, I’d grab him and start him. You don’t feel good about it though.

Avoid! – Tom Brady (vs. Cincinnati)

Little-owned quarterbacks with more fantasy points than Tom Brady through 4 games: Jake Locker, Derek Carr, Brian Hoyer, Geno Smith, EJ Manuel, Andy Dalton, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Alex Smith, Joe Flacco. Every one of those QB’s is owned in less than 10% of leagues (and most are owned in less than 5%).

WIDE RECEIVERS

Eddie Royal (vs NYJ)

Complete homer here for a former Hokie, but Eddie Royal resurrects himself every year. In this case, he’s frustrated Keenan Allen owners who thought they were getting a top-15 wideout. The Jets secondary stinks, and Phillip Rivers loves to toss to Royal near the endzone.

Brian Quick (@ Philadelphia)

After a week of rest, Quick’s ready to head to Philadelphia to continue his breakout fantasy year. I fully expect Philadelphia Defense to have a great game here, but Quick’s sheer volume of targets combined with his open-space ability lead me to believe he finds the endzone this week.

Desperation Pick-Up: Marvin Jones (@ New England)

10 touchdowns last year, although 4 came in one game. Jones will be back (albeit likely on a snap count) and will eat into Sanu’s production. Because Jones is a better receiver than Sanu, and because of his talent for finding the endzone, you can grab him as an intriguing play this week. Andy Dalton is going to carve into the limping Patriots defense this week.

Avoid! – Larry Fitzgerald (@ Denver)

Michael Floyd is here, and Michael Floyd is the receiver to own in Arizona. Larry Fitzgerald is not doing much, mainly because he’s operating as a decoy for Floyd and rookie John Brown. Trade him if you can.

RUNNING BACKS (aka Slim Pickin’s)

Antone Smith (@ NYG)

With 2 touchdowns in 2 weeks, and finding open space every week, I’d grab Antone Smith. Of all the backs in Atlanta, he’s the most likely to go off every week. I think Matt Ryan will be airing it out more often than not, but Smith has a good matchup this week against the Giants. All he’s got to do it get the touches.

Jerick McKinnon (@ Green Bay)

This past weekend was Jerick McKinnon’s coming out party, but I don’t think he’ll hit anything more than low RB2 or Flex status until he becomes a more polished runner. The Vikings will stick with Asiata for now, but McKinnon is going to get weekly touches and will have a chance to explode on any of them.

Desperation Pick-Up: Andre Williams (vs. Atlanta)

Atlanta’s run defense is porous, and Rashad Jennings will need to take a break at some point. Andre Williams could break a long one here on third-down and change-of-pace work.

Avoid: Ravens Running Backs (@ Indianapolis)

With the impending return of Bernard Pierce and the clear time split between Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro, I can’t see anyone starting a Ravens back with any sort of confidence. Each one has a chance to do well in a good matchup, but which one are you going to trust? Avoid until the split becomes cleaner.

TIGHT ENDS

Larry Donnell (@ Atlanta)

This one’s a no-brainer after last week. The Giant’s offense requires a lot short-yardage check downs, and Donnell is a huge endzone target. He’s a must-start from here on out.

Garrett Graham (@ Dallas)

Dallas is giving up the most points to opposing tight ends in the league, and Garrett Graham is A) a tight end and B) one of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s favorite targets. I like all the Texan’s pass-catchers here, but Graham has the highest chance to score.

Desperation Pick-Up: Heath Miller

Did I mention I like Heath Miller? Look to his production last week, then look to his matchup this week. He’s playing the Jags. Point, Aim, Start.

Avoid: Antonio Gates

Gates scored big in Week 2, and scored nothing else in any of the other 3 weeks. He’s got a halfway decent matchup against the Jets, but I think Phillip Rivers looks elsewhere for catches. (See: Eddie Royal).

Defense/Special Teams

Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Jacksonville)

This one’s easy. I like Bortles, but the rest of Jacksonville is just not good. Even though the Steelers gave up points to Mike Glennon, I think they return home looking to save face from the embarrassing loss to Tampa Bay. Bortles scores a bit, but so does the Steelers’ D/ST.

Philadelphia Eagles (vs. St. Louis)

The Eagles D/ST scored 3 times against the 49ers, bringing the total touchdowns from the Philadelphia defense up to 5 through 4 games. St. Louis has given two touchdowns to opposing defenses this season, across 3 games. Do the math.

Desperation Pick: Kansas City Chiefs (@ San Francisco)

San Francisco gave up 3 defensive touchdowns last week, and Kansas City’s defense looked great against the Patriots on Monday Night Football. I think you could do worse this week.

Avoid: New Orleans Saints (vs. Tampa Bay)

You’d think Tampa Bay would be a good thing for the Saints D/ST. It’s not. Nothing’s good for the Saint’s defense. Don’t pick-up, don’t stream, don’t touch. This is quite possibly the most overrated defense in the league.

Also, this:

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Exit, Pursued by Hamstring Injury

....or "What the Preseason Top 10 Look Like Now, and What To Do With Them"

1. Adrian Peterson

Well, we know how this one’s going. Adrian Peterson is on the Viking’s exempt list – basically suspended with pay. His next court date is October 8^th, and it’s looking like he will not be taking a plea deal to expedite the judicial process. To return this season, Peterson must not only resolve his legal issues, but be reinstated by the Vikings and not face further suspension from the NFL. It’s a long shot, to say the least.

Stats: 1 game played. 21 carries for 75 yards, 2 catches for 18 yards
Fantasy Points (Standard): 8
Advice: You most likely can’t sell Peterson unless you convince someone he’s returning. He’s a wait-and-see through October 8^th.

2. LeSean McCoy

Shady McCoy isn’t living up to his ranking as one of the best fantasy running backs in 2014. He’s not even the best fantasy running back on his team, currently sitting behind Darren Sproles. While Sproles (the number 7 RB in fantasy) is outperforming McCoy (the number 16 RB in fantasy), don’t expect it to last. Shady is due to bounce back.

Stats: 3 games played. 60 carries for 175 yards, 10 catches for 64 yards
Fantasy Points (Standard): 28
Advice: Buy low, if you can. Better times ahead in this high-powered Eagles offense.

3. Jamaal Charles

Last year’s fantasy MVP has proven to be one of this year’s duds so far. Kansas City was destroyed in Week 1 by Tennessee, and Charles’ role was diminished as they had to try to come from behind. Then he went down early in the Week 2 fantasy bloodbath, with what was reported as a dreaded “high ankle sprain.” However, he returned to practice leading up to Week 3, and it is thought that instead of a sprain he may basically just have a very bad bruise. He’s got a chance to return in Week 4.

Stats: 1.25 games played. 9 carries for 23 yards, 5 catches for 23 yards
Fantasy Points (Standard): 2
Advice: Hold on to him. Buy low, if possible. When he comes back, the Chiefs will lean on him heavily. (For some idea of what to expect, combine the production of Knile Davis and Joe McKnight in Week 3. Yah, that’s Charles.)

4. Matt Forte

Produced in Week 1, and hasn’t done much since (unless you own in PPR leagues). Of course, that comes against a stingy 49ers defense and a Jets defense that’s tough against the run. But you drafted him here with the idea that he’ll be matchup-proof, right? The sledding doesn’t get much easier for Forte, but he’ll show up in the run game this season. After all… he’s getting ALL the carries for his team, and who else can you say has that luxury?

Stats: 3 games played. 42 carries for 136 yards, 19 catches for 145 yards.
Fantasy Points (Standard): 26
Advice: Buy low. His owners are probably panicking and you may be able to get him cheap.

5. Marshawn Lynch

Lynch is the first on this list who is performing the way he’s supposed to, and rumors of his demise are greatly overstated. Seattle finds ways to get the ball into his hands, and he pinballs off defenders with incredible North-South running. Beast Mode is in effect.

Stats: 3 games played. 52 carries for 234 yards (3 TDs), 8 catches for 81 yards (2 TDs)
Fantasy Points (Standard): 59
Advice: Hold on to him. He’s not a buy-high, because you’d have to give up top-5 value for him.

6. Calvin Johnson

Finally, we get to the first receiver on our list. He showed up Week 1 against the Giants and had his way with them, then produced in Weeks 2 and 3 against good defensive teams. Golden Tate has not really eaten into his production, but Tate may have increased how often Johnson can get open. Johnson, already the best fantasy receiver in the league, is set for another huge year.

Stats: 3 games played. 19 catches for 329 yards (2 TDs)
Fantasy Points (Standard): 44
Advice: Johnson is a true buy-high candidate. He’s been held out of the endzone the last two weeks, and you may be able to get him for Top-15 value, instead of the Top-5 value he’s worth.

7. Eddie Lacy

Eddie Lacy is frustrating. Concussion in Week 1 made him leave early, but then he shot through the concussion protocol to return for Week 2. However, he’s failed to show up in Weeks 2 and 3… and even James Starks is getting some carries. However, I don’t buy that Green Bay is turning into a RBBC or that Lacy has suddenly forgot how to be a star running back. The entire Packer’s offense has struggled this season, and I think that the coaching staff is being careful with Lacy while he eases back into a full workload from his concussion Week 1. He should return to top form soon.

Stats: 2.5 games played. 36 carries for 113 yards, 6 catches for 38 yards.
Fantasy Points (Standard): 10
Advice: Lacy is a great buy-low candidate this week, but the window is closing. The Bear’s run defense isn’t good, so he will blow up this week. However, if he doesn’t show up this week… sell.

8. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning is a great NFL quarterback. That said, he should never have been drafted in the first round. He produces every game, but he’s not even the number one fantasy quarterback right now (that honor belongs to Andrew Luck). That said, he could carry your team to the playoffs (assuming you drafted well… which is in doubt. If you have Manning, you took him in the first round. Chump.).

Stats: 3 games played. 74 completions/111 attempts for 814 yards (8 TDs, 1 INT)

Fantasy Points (Standard): 63
Advice: Hold on to him – unless you can get a good replacement QB and some top RB/WR value.

9. Arian Foster

2014 was going so well for Arian Foster. He was killin’ it on the field. This was the year he was finally back to being healthy for the season. Suddenly he changes from “full steam ahead!” to “Exit, pursued by Hamstring Injury.” Now we don’t when he’s coming back… but when he does he’ll have value. In the meantime, grab his handcuff (Alfred Blue, for those of you who have been under a rock for the past week).

Stats: 2 games played. 55 carries for 241 yards (1 TD), 4 catches for 29 yards.
Fantasy Points (Standard): 29
Advice: Sell high. Even when he comes back, he’s going to be at risk for injury for the rest of the season. If you can trade away Foster/Blue as a package, then you can probably get very good value for him.

10. Jimmy Graham

I like Jimmy Graham. He’s a huge, physical tight end who grabs TDs from Drew Brees. He’s going to produce every week, and he’ll produce like a receiver (If you missed the Jimmy Graham WR/TE debate this summer, you need to get out more). Jimmy is set for another monster season as the number 1 TE in fantasy.

Stats: 3 games played. 24 catches for 254 yards (2 TDs).
Fantasy Points (Standard): 36
Advice: Hold on, or sell high if you need depth on your roster. TE’s are a dime a dozen right now, but good starting RB’s and elite WR’s are hard to come by. 

Week 3 Waiver Picking.

Welcome to the bye-week panic.

There are two ways to approach bye weeks.

On one hand, you can scramble to make sure you have every spot filled. This means players you've stashed (see: Josh Gordon) to pick up lesser players just for a few points. This is a viable option - you will get points now and get wins now, which could carry you to your fantasy playoff.

On the other hand, you can hold on to your stashed studs and play bye-week players. This leads to fewer points, but perhaps (due to matchup or an inept opponent) your team will prevail. It's a bigger risk, but can pay off if you can make the playoff with roster depth.

Personally, I play it by team. If I have insane value on my bench, I might tank a bye-filled week in order to succeed later. If I have a mediocre bench, I'm dropping players to fill in the holes.

That said, don't drop Peyton Manning/Marshawn Lynch/Giovani Bernard/any other stud on bye this week just because you're 0-3 in your league. There's bye-week filling, and then there's idiocy.

Last week, I got some calls very, very wrong on the waiver column. (Looking at you, Kirk Cousins. Jekyll/Hyde Cousins. Captain Kirk. Ugh.) But I got a few right, so I guess it's time to post another one. Here we go!

QUARTERBACKS

8-10 Team Leagues: Ben Roethlisberger

I normally wouldn’t recommend Big Ben except for deeper leagues, but he has a good matchup against a struggling Tampa Bay team. He’s got good weapons in Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, and Heath Miller (I told you, I love Heath Miller. Don’t judge me.) and Tampa Bay is actually relatively ok against the run. Le’Veon Bell will find holes to run through, but I expect Big Ben to have all day to throw to his receivers. I’d start him with confidence.

12-14 Team Leagues: Kirk Cousins

Time for me to eat some crow. Cousins looked great last week… and I had him on my “Avoid” list.

Deeper than 14-team leagues: Teddy Bridgewater

Rookie QB alert! I don’t expect Bridgewater to step in and stun the fantasy football world, but he’s a starting QB who throws to Cordarrelle Patterson (who can be an elite weapon) and Greg Jennings (who… well he’s not terrible).

Avoid! – Blake Bortles

Looked ok in his first NFL action… but the starting QB for the Jags is going to have an uphill battle already. Starting a rookie mid-season at the position? It’s like pitting a baby harp seal against a pack of tiger sharks. In other news… look to the Jag’s schedule for your streaming defenses every week.

Streamer Pick of the Week – Eli Manning

Don’t pull out the torches and pitchforks – this isn’t crazy. The Redskin’s secondary is banged up… and stunk to begin with. You can actually pick up and start Eli this week, after he showed signs of life last week.

WIDE RECEIVERS

8-10 Team Leagues: Kelvin Benjamin

Why Benjamin is not owned in more leagues is beyond me. He’s a huge, physical, starting wide receiver who has Cam Newton throwing to him. The Panther’s running back situation is a mess, opening huge opportunities for Benjamin to lead the offense. And he has done just that. He’s a pick-up/start opportunity if available in your league.

12-14 Team Leagues: Reuben Randle

Randle actually led the Giants in targets last week, but didn’t do much with those targets. Against a Redskins secondary that is now without DeAngelo Hall for the rest of the season, he should do well. With Victor Cruz starting to produce, Randle should open up and become a deeper-league fantasy asset with the sheer volume of looks he gets.

Deeper than 14-team leagues: Jordan Mathews

Mathews is emerging as the leading candidate to unseat Riley Cooper as Nick Foles’ second-favorite receiver, and he proved it this past week.

Avoid! – Stevie Johnson

Looked decent this past week operating out of the slot. However, the 49ers are a running offense. The only reason Johnson received these looks was because Vernon Davis was inactive for the game. You’ve seen his best game all season.

Streamer Pick of the Week – Malcom Floyd

Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, I’d start him. He’s an ok receiver, and I think he finds the endzone this weekend.

RUNNING BACKS

All Leagues: Donald Brown

Ryan Mathews: Out. Danny Woodhead: Out. Donald Brown: Full go. He’s gonna get the touches, and when Mathews comes back he’ll take the Woodhead role (if Mathews can stay healthy… a big if). Grab Donald Brown and run with him.

8-10 team Leagues: Ahmad Bradshaw

I detailed why I like Ahmad Bradshaw last week. Again, he looked good and produced despite being in a true timeshare split with Trent Richardson. Ahmad Bradshaw produces more with his touches and can be counted on to grab a score here and there.

12-14 team Leagues: Lorenzo Taliaferro

Taliaferro looked great this weekend. While the Raven’s backfield situation is far from resolved, he looks the best. Forsett and Pierce will soon be backups.

Deeper Than 14-team leagues: Roy Helu Jr.

Helu had 56 yards from scrimmage on Sunday, with a touchdown. That’s one way to put his stat line. The other is: Helu had one catch for 55 yards and one goal-line carry for a touchdown. He’s more at risk to show up or disappear every week, but I think that he shows up more than not.

AVOID! – Joe McKnight

A few weeks ago, he wasn’t even a lock to make the team. In week 3, he blew up. However, the real news here is that the Chiefs finally figured out how their offense works. Combine Knile Davis’ carrying ability with McKnight’s receptions and you have Jamaal Charles… who is going to be back soon. We’ve seen McKnight’s best game this season (and next… and next… etc.).

Streamer Pick of the Week – Donald Brown

See above. Volume of touches+Jaguars defense = fantasy points. Echoing Andy Behrens over at Yahoo! Fantasy… if Brown gets as many touches as he did this past weekend, he should rack up about 650 yards against the Jags. (He won’t get that… but you get the idea.)

TIGHT ENDS

8-10 team Leagues: Delanie Walker

Walker keeps producing, week in and week out, highlighted in Week 2 by a 10-catch, 142 yard, 1 TD effort in Week 2. He should be added in all leagues, and in PPR leagues he has additional value. There’s not much else to say… except I like his schedule during the bye-week stretch (Jacksonville and Washington? Yes please).

12-14 team leagues: Niles Paul

Niles Paul is actually the 7^th ranked tight end in fantasy this season. He’s never caught fewer than 4 balls and his low-water yardage mark is 68. He may actually be a grab/start immediately candidate.

Deeper than 14-team leagues: Garrett Graham

Graham is easing into his role as a favorite receiver for Ryan Fitzpatrick. After missing the first game, his targets, catches, and yardage have slowly increased over the last three weeks.

AVOID! – Detroit Tight Ends

Ebron is an elite weapon that doesn’t have the targets or usage to consistently make it happen for fantasy. Pettigrew is an annoyance. And Fauria is useless. Don’t touch them.

Streamer Pick of the Week- Ladarius Green

I don’t think Green has long-term value this season (ask me about a dynasty league and I’ll tell you he’s in line to be great). But he’s got a good matchup this week against… yes you guessed it… the Jacksonville Jaguars. Start him. Everyone on San Diego’s fantasy roster should have a good week.

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The 5 Worst Things Ever in Fantasy Football (this week)

1.   Bill Belichick being Bill Belichick

Week 1 – Shane Vereen is a PPR stud and everyone has the running back muddle figured out in New England. Tom Brady does his best Ryan Tannehill impression (by not doing much). Julian Edelman is the leading WR.

Week 2 – Stevan Ridley runs all over the place and Shane Vereen barely sees the ball. Tom Brady is still doing his best Ryan Tannehill impression (by doing the same amount of nothing). Julian Edelman is the leading WR.

Bill Belichick’s schemes are extremely gameplan dependent. Right now, it looks like he’s going to ride the hot hand at RB, and trot out Brady to feed Edelman. However, next week he could have Jimmy Garappolo running wildcat plays and feeding Aaron Dobson with Edelman as a decoy. This offense could be explosive, but who can you trust to start in it?

2.    Adrian Peterson

Active Week 1. Deactivated week 2 after he’s indicted for whooping up on his kids. Reactivated Monday after the Vikings decide that he hasn’t been convicted of whooping up on his kids. Barred from practicing Tuesday night (or Wednesday, depending on your time zone) after everyone tells the Vikings that it’s not ok that Peterson whooped up on his kids.

It’s not ok to beat the tar out of your kids. And it’s not ok for the Vikings to give us whiplash while they try to weasel a way into starting Purple Jesus.

3.     Robert Griffin the Third

It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for Robert Griffin the Third. Until he looks terrible in Week 1 and somehow managed to dislocate his ankle in a freak Week 2 injury. Now the entire Washington franchise is experiencing the same upheaval it did last time RG3 got hurt.

Folks – RG3 is injury prone, and Kirk Cousins is not good (see: his starts last year). Expect some blood, drama, and tears in Washington before this dust settles.

4.     Bear’s Receivers

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Bear’s elite receivers (Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall) were only 75% to play this past Sunday night. All the analyst cry bloody murder and bench them for safer options (I did that too). Then they play… and Brandon Marshall tears up the endzone. However, Jeffery is almost invisible and looks incredibly slow on the field. But still… they got more points than Marques Colston…

For those of you who had faith in Brandon Marshall: Goody for you, I hope you won your league. However, one of these days your faith will not be rewarded.

5.        The Worst Lineup Ever

My friend sent me this. Next time you have an injury, think of this guy. My friend sent this to me: (I took out the team name because I couldn’t print it.) 

Week 2 Waiver Picking

Sunday afternoon. You’ve got one of the games on, drinking beer and grilling out with a few friends. Someone has their phone out, checking their fantasy matchup. All of a sudden, they say “Dude, check your matchup. RG3 is down.”

 RG3 is down? How can that be? He had a cakewalk matchup against the Jags. No one gets injured playing the Jags. It’s like getting a concussion while wearing a helmet in a room with padded walls – it just does not happen. You whip out your phone/iPad/laptop (what have you) and check your fantasy roster.

 “Robert Griffin III – Q.”

The dreaded mid-game “Q.”

 What happened? You check Twitter. You find the Redskins’ twitter feed. There you see it:

QB @RGIII down on the sideline with an apparent injury. @KirkCousins8 warming up. Update coming as soon as we hear it.
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) September 14, 2014

And there goes your fantasy day. RG3 is sidelined with an injury (and as we now know - he will not return). He was your starting quarterback in what seemed to be an incredible matchup, and now the dreaded Kirk Cousins is playing for him. Your highest-scoring fantasy position is now putting up only 3 points for the game. Your kicker likely scored more than that. And as a result, you lost this matchup.

But cheer up – it was only Week 2 and you have plenty of options at QB. The trick is – who do you pick up while RG3 is out?

That’s where we come in. This inaugural column is inspired by the events of Week 2 in the 2014 Fantasy Football Season – a weekend of football that some are dubbing the “Fantapocalypse.” Injuries abound, and everyone is scrambling for replacements. We hope to help you find the right player to place a waiver claim on so that you can bounce back next week and get back to winning your league’s championship.

 Here’s how it works. We’ve broken down who was injured by position and identified replacements that may suit in the coming weeks. This is not your average waiver column. We break down who you should be looking to get based on how deep your league is, and how available said players are. For example, if you’re in an 8-team league, you have more options than someone in a 14-team league. Also, we’ll tell you which players seem like good grabs but should be avoided. Some of these players are fantasy quicksand, and you need reliability. So without further delay, here we go.

INJURED PLAYER: Robert Griffin III (WAS) (QB)

8-10 Team Leagues: Andy Dalton (CIN) (owned in 80% ESPN leagues, 82% Yahoo leagues) 

Andy Dalton is having a great season so far this year. Despite being without #2 Wideout Marvin Jones and losing Tyler Eifert in Week 1, he threw for over 300 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions in Week 1. He then lost top wideout A.J. Green early in Week 2, but still went on to throw for 252 yards and a touchdown and no picks. Dalton’s top three weapons (A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, and Tyler Eifert) are out, but he still manages to produce in the short game (short passes to RB’s Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill) and the long game (a beautiful 73-yard touchdown to Mohamed Sanu in the third quarter, in the face of an all-out blitz). Dalton still has weapons around him despite injuries and has the talent to make plays that will keep your fantasy team afloat. I consider him a top pickup for RG3-less owners.

12-14 Team Leagues: Joe Flacco (BAL) (owned in 30% ESPN, 35% Yahoo) 

Against a tough Cincinnati Bengals defense? 345 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 pick. Against a physical Pittsburg defense in a bitter rivalry game? 166 yards, 2 touchdowns, no picks. Definitely worth a pickup, as he’ll give you consistent production week to week.

Deeper than 14-team leagues: Geno Smith (NYJ) (owned in 6% ESPN, 9% Yahoo) 

Geno Smith went to Lambeau and almost came out with a “W,” scoring through the air and with his legs. Interceptions are a concern, but he forces defenses to respect his running and passing game. Good pickup in deeper leagues.

Avoid! – Kirk Cousins (WAS) 

While he seems to be the logical pickup in the absence of RG3, and he did look impressive Sunday after Griffin left the game, remember this: the Jaguars are terrible. I repeat: THE JAGUARS ARE TERRIBLE. They managed to make Kirk Cousins look better than he actually is. Consider this: In the three games Cousins started for the 2013 season, his average completion percentage was 53.8%. The opponents he faced included such hard-nosed and steely defenses as the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, and Dallas Cowboys. His completion percentage against the Giants was a mere 38.8%. Cousins is a backup for a reason, and should not be rostered in any leagues.

INJURED PLAYER: DeSean Jackson (WAS), Eric Decker (NYJ), A.J. Green (CIN) (WRs)

8-10 Team Leagues: Markus Wheaton (PIT) (Owned in 29% ESPN, 67% Yahoo) 

Honestly, I don’t understand why Markus Wheaton isn’t owned in more leagues. Taking the place of Emmanuel Sanders (who is absolutely killin’ it in Denver) he has become Big Ben’s second favorite target. Obviously this will change slightly when Lance Moore returns from injury, but Wheaton has developed excellent chemistry with Roethlisberger. The Steelers are trying to get him the ball in any way possible, resulting in 11 catches for 135 and 2 carries for 22 yards over the first two games. This comes against a tough Browns defense and a hard-hitting rivalry game against the Ravens. Wheaton has carved out a place in Pittsburgh and is worth a weekly Flex consideration.

12-14 Team Leagues: Andrew Hawkins (CLE) (Owned in 16% ESPN, 32% Yahoo) 

With top wideout Josh Gordon, tight end Jordan Cameron, and running back Ben Tate all out, the Browns have to move the ball somehow. Enter Andrew Hawkins. Over the first two weeks of the season, he has caught 14 passes on 22 targets for 157 yards. Until the aforementioned playmakers return (and potential after) you can pickup and start Hawkins with confidence.

Deeper than 14-team leagues: Brian Quick (STL) (Owned in 3.7% ESPN, 16% Yahoo)

Even in the pile of mud called the Rams offense, Brian Quick has managed to shine through. He has pulled down 14 catches for 173 yards across the first two games of the season. The impending return of Shaun Hill only improves his value. (Bonus – he faces the Dallas D[ump]ST[erfire] next week.)

Avoid! - Hakeem Nicks (NYG)

Yes, Nicks scored a touchdown in Week 1 and brought in 5 catches for 39 yards, giving him a respectable fantasy production then. However, he failed to bring even ANY touchdowns last year as a Giant, and the TD pass he grabbed in Week 1 was a lucky deflection off of the defender covering him. If targets are any indication, he’s in line behind T.Y. Hilton, Coby Fleener, Reggie Wayne, and Ahmad Bradshaw for catches. Yes, Ahmad Bradshaw. In Week 2? Nicks caught one ball... for negative yardage. Until Nicks proves that he is worthy of more looks than the beleaguered running backs in Indianapolis, he should not seriously considered for your fantasy roster.

INJURED PLAYER: Knowshon Moreno (MIA), Ryan Mathews (SD), Jamaal Charles (KC) (RBs)

All Leagues: Bobby Rainey (TB) (owned in 4.7% ESPN, 21% Yahoo)

Bobby Rainey needs to be owned in every league, no matter what size. Starting in place of an injured Doug Martin, Rainey exploded in Week 2 to the tune of 22 carries for 144 yards on the ground and 30 yards through the air on 3 catches (3 targets). This comes after he scored a touchdown in Week 1 after Doug Martin exited. Whether or not Martin is active for Week 3 (and he may very well not be active) Bobby Rainey is a must-add. If Martin is out, Rainey is a must-start in most leagues. Consider: Rainey’s monster Week 2 came against the same St. Louis Rams who held Adrian Peterson to 75 yards and no scores in Week 1.

8-10 team Leagues: Jonathan Dwyer (ARI) (owned in 27% ESPN, 9% Yahoo)

If Rainey is for some reason unavailable in your league, grab Jonathan Dwyer. Operating in occasional relief of an injured Andre Ellington in Week 2, he racked up 31 yards on 9 carries and found the endzone once. If Ellington were to go down for some reason, Dwyer shoots up in value. Even playing with Ellington, he deserves to be added and considered as a Flex.

*UPDATE* - Jonathan Dwyer has been arrested on domestic violence charges and deactivated from the Cardinals pending further investigation into the matter. Great news for Andre Ellington owners. Instead of Jonathan Dwyer, you can grab Stepfan Taylor, who will be splitting carries with the injured Ellington.

12-14 team Leagues: Ahmad Bradshaw (IND) (owned in 22% ESPN, 40% Yahoo)

Bradshaw looked great on Monday night, touching the ball 18 times (5 catches for 26 yards, 13 carries for 70 yards) and finding the endzone twice. Don’t be fooled though – the Eagles managed to make even Trent Richardson look good. However, he is definitely the back to own in Indianapolis this season. He’s a low end RB2, high-end flex consideration going forward in 12-14 team leagues.

Deeper Than 14-team leagues: Jacquizz Rodgers (ATL), D (owned in 3.3% ESPN, 11% Yahoo)

Usable running backs are hard to find, and you can do worse than Quiz. He saw 5 carries out of the Falcon’s 16 rushes in Week 2, and found the endzone in Week 1. Although Steven Jackson is currently the nominal lead back, all of the Falcon’s backfield options can see work going forward. In these deeper leagues Devonta Freeman is probably owned, so grab Rodgers.

Avoid! – LeGarrette Blount (PIT)

Why the heck is Blount owned in 86% of ESPN leagues (and 25% of Yahoo leagues)?! He’s seen the ball 7 times across 2 games as a backup to Le’Veon Bell. Consider the following: John Kuhn (GB), Darrel Young (WSH), Anthony Dixon (BUF), Derrick Coleman (SEA). What do these four backs have in common? They all have scored more fantasy points than LeGarrette Blount. What else do they have in common? They are currently owned in less than 0.1% of Fantasy Leagues. TL;DR: Blount sucks. Don’t waste a roster spot.

INJURED PLAYER: Vernon Davis (SF) (TE)

8-10 team Leagues: Antonio Gates (SD) (Owned in 46.5% ESPN, 74% Yahoo) 

Antonio Gates looked 10 years younger in Week 2. He pulled in 3 touchdowns, actually out-muscling the vaunted Seahawks defenders. This bears repeating: Gates pulled in 3 touchdowns against the Seahawks. While this will most certainly be his best game of the season, Gates has shown that he still has it. Ladarius Green will one day be the starter over Gates, but it will not be this season (barring injury). Gates is a must add and deserves starting consideration in all leagues.

12-14 team leagues: Heath Miller (PIT) (Owned in 14% ESPN, 63% Yahoo)

I’ll warn you now – I have a love affair with Heath Miller. He’s one of Big Ben’s favorite targets, he’s pretty good at getting open for short gains, and he’s a continual red zone threat. While he’s had a slow start to the 2014 season, I look to Miller to settle into his role (already carved out) going forward.

Deeper than 14-team leagues: Owen Daniels (BAL) (Owned in 8% ESPN, 12% Yahoo)

9 catches, 62 yards, 2 touchdowns. Across two weeks, Owen Daniels has shown that in short-yardage situations, Joe Flacco will look his way. Operating across from Dennis Pitta in two-TE sets, Daniels offers some fantasy value in an offense that likes tight ends and will be throwing more going forward.
Avoid! – Jermaine Gresham (CIN)

With starting TE Tyler Eifert out, we all expected Gresham to have a great Week 2. When A.J. Green went down, those who had added and started Gresham thought that his load would increase. However, in the absence of Eifert and Green, Gresham’s targets actually went DOWN, as the Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill ran the ball incredibly effectively and caught nearly all the short-yardage passes. Look elsewhere for a TE – they’re a dime a dozen at this tier.